dallied

Definition of dalliednext
past tense of dally
1
2
3
as in flirted
to show a sexual attraction for someone just for fun she spent the summer dallying with a guy renting the neighboring beach house

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dallied
Verb
  • During their time together, Snead and McVay built teams that have played in two Super Bowls, winning one, and made eight playoff appearances.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026
  • The crowd went nuts because Heidenreich played for the United States Naval Academy.
    Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Their first meeting in 2015, a tactical Mayweather victory in one of the most lucrative bouts in boxing history, has lingered as a stubborn footnote in Pacquiao’s otherwise untouchable résumé.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The sauce, poured tableside, gave a spicy kick to the dish, and the heat of the serranos lingered on the palate.
    Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • These Knicks run offense through Karl-Anthony Towns, who flirted with another triple-double before finishing with 16 points, 14 rebounds and six assists on the night.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The Crimson Tide’s offense dominated in Game 1 with a 12-0 mercy-rule victory behind a two-hitter in the circle from Jocelyn Briski, but the Vols’ Sage Mardjetko flirted with a no-hitter in Game 2 to even the series.
    Molly Keshin, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Flight attendants turned into drill sergeants, barking at passengers who flouted mask rules or dawdled too long eating that snack with the mask off.
    Thomas Black, Twin Cities, 21 Dec. 2025
  • Fava snuffled and dawdled and took her own sweet time up the sidewalk.
    Dan Kois, New Yorker, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Nevertheless, he's repeatedly toyed openly about the idea of running again in 2028.
    Joey Garrison, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025
  • According to Wolpe, Billie toyed around with the placement of their bush on the terracotta planter in the shape of a woman in a sports bra and ponytail.
    Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Verb
  • In California, the Los Angeles County Counsel is probing allegations that State Farm delayed, underpaid and denied valid insurance claims from last year's wildfires.
    Michael Copley, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Altman was buried after a private funeral on March 31, after a public service was delayed when his widow went into labor with their daughter.
    Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Nearby, people and their dogs who had moved into the shelter for the duration of the war lounged on air mattresses, scrolling through their phones.
    ABC News, ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
  • Just days after hard-launching her relationship with French filmmaker Romain Gavras, EmRata lounged in a plunging plush white robe while wearing nothing but some sparkling loud luxury accessories.
    Lara Walsh, InStyle, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Steep post-earnings slides for key software names dragged the broader sector lower, as investors weighed artificial intelligence's threat to software companies' business models.
    Alex Harring, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
  • The findings from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research show a president who is struggling with unfulfilled promises to tame inflation and testing Americans’ patience with a conflict in the Middle East that has dragged on longer than expected.
    Josh Boak, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Dallied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dallied. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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